Commander is one of the best formats for budget-minded Magic: the Gathering players because you can build around almost any idea, but it can also become expensive very quickly. With hundreds of possible cards and powerful staples commanding high prices, it is easy to spend far more than originally planned. But what if the budget is in question?
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Sideboarding can feel intimidating for budget Magic: the Gathering players, especially when competitive lists seem to rely on expensive staples. However, an effective sideboard isn’t necessarily about having the most expensive cards; it is about understanding what your deck struggles against and finding affordable answers to those problems.
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Building an eight-creature midrange deck takes a different approach from traditional creature-heavy strategies, where the battlefield is constantly filled with threats. With only eight creatures to rely on, every card needs to serve a purpose—from protecting your threats to controlling the board and generating enough value to eventually close out the game.
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One of the most rewarding parts of building a budget Magic: The Gathering deck is discovering underrated cards that perform far better than their price suggests. While it’s tempting to focus on expensive staples, many overlooked commons, uncommons, and bulk rares can fill similar roles when paired with the right strategy.
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When I build a Magic: The Gathering deck, choosing my creatures is never random—it’s one of the most deliberate parts of my process. Creatures aren’t just bodies on the board; they define how my deck wins, stabilizes, and interacts with my opponent. Whether I’m aiming for aggression, control, or synergy, I start by asking myself what role my creatures need to play within the overall game plan.
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A Standard deck built around Catharsis leans naturally into a Kithkin tokens–aggro hybrid, blending efficient tribal bodies with explosive combat turns. The core idea is to establish a wide board of small creatures early, pressure the opponent through incremental damage, and then convert that presence into a decisive swing using Catharsis as either a finisher or value play.
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